Martini lounge coming to Houma

HOUMA -- If youíre looking for a change of atmosphere in Houmaís nightlife, you can look forward to the opening of the Martini Ranch.

Hampton Isom, 44, one of the co-owners of the new lounge, certainly is.

The lounge, which will occupy the former Houma Super Buffet, 121 N. Hollywood Road, near K-Mart, should open in early February. The building is currently about $80,000 worth of remodeling and renovation work.

Working for Halliburton on a shift schedule and having a week off at a time, Isom said, he couldnít find an establishment in the city where he felt comfortable spending his downtime.

"I went out and there wasnít any place I really cared for. And I thought Iíd change that," he said. "I like to dance, and I like listening to good music. I didnít hear that out here."

The target demographic for his new lounge is the working professional, the doctors and lawyers. He said he also wants to give bar patrons something different than their current options.

"We didnít want anything to be Louisiana- or bayou-affiliated," he said, which is how he came up with the name, "Martini Ranch," a moniker that combines his Texas roots and the metropolitan atmosphere he wants to generate.

Martini Ranch is his first attempt at opening a lounge, which he co-owns with Tim Smith.

Keeping with its namesake, the lounge will have a bar serving a variety of martinis ranging in price from "affordable" to $9, and flavors. Isom said the bar could have 25 to 50 different martinis.

"Weíre going to make sure everyone can sit down and have a martini," he said.

The lounge will also have a floor bar stocked with all the usual drinks.

Isom, who said music is vital to creating the right atmosphere, also intends for his lounge to feature dance music and top 40 hits.

But on Wednesday nights, patrons can enjoy top 40 country hits, offerings that are more in line with the "Ranch" part of the loungeís name.

"Itís going to be really nice. Weíre talking about leather couches and the whole nine yards," he said.

To keep the place up to the standards he envisions, the bar will have a strict dress code. Much like Lafourche Parish, those wearing saggy pants are not welcomed. Patrons wonít be allowed in if their pants are baggy or their shirts reach their knees.

"You wonít even be allowed to come into the parking lot if you are dressed like that," he said.

The 7-foot-tall Isom hails from Dallas, where he used to be a bouncer for "a bunch of years."

He said he worked for different establishments, including the private, members-only club Candleroom.

He said he was even voted doorman of the year in Dallas a few years back.

As a doorman, he befriended and met many NBA players, like the third-shortest player to ever play in the NBA, Spud Webb. He said he expects Webb to visit his new establishment when it opens.

Heís also rubbed shoulders with Jimmy Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and Steven Nash of the Phoenix Suns.

Isom used to be a ball player himself. He played for Troy State in Alabama, as well as in Turkey, Australia and Italy as part of the European Basketball League for 12 years.

Isom was supposed to try out for the Atlanta Hawks, but he suffered an ankle injury that left him in a cast during tryouts, ending his basketball career.

The lounge was originally going to be built next door to Samurai Dragon on Main Street in Houma, but zoning laws would have required the installation of a $75,000 sprinkler system.

Staff Writer Brian Fontenot can be reached at 857-2204 or brian.fontenot@houmatoday.com.